Married to My Ex-Fiancé's Billionaire Uncle

LONORA

The roses were still on the counter when I found them.

Twelve of them, blood-red, wrapped in the same tissue paper Nathan always used from the florist two blocks from his office, the one where the owner remembered his order.

For my favorite girl.

That’s what the card said, in his handwriting, leaning against a vase I hadn’t put there.

I wasn't supposed to be home. That was the whole problem, wasn't it? I wasn't supposed to be home until tomorrow morning.

I told Nathan I would be working overtime in the club where I worked. But my manager noticed that I wasn’t feeling well. He told me to go home and rest.

I couldn’t say no. I didn’t want my clients to get sick because of me. They’re too powerful. Who knows what they would do to me once they found out I gave them the flu?

I sniffed the roses I was holding. They smelled like Nathan’s favorite perfume lately, but not me. I told him I didn’t like how it smelled.

He said he wouldn’t use it. But when I wasn’t around, I knew he still did. I could smell it on his dirty clothes every time I did laundry. I stopped minding. Maybe it was really his new favorite scent.

I looked at our apartment. I noticed how quiet it was.

That made sense, since Nathan was still supposed to be at work.

Maybe he just dropped off these roses.

I needed to put them back in the vase so they wouldn’t die.

But as I was about to reach the vase, I heard something.

I paused. I listened to the surroundings to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.

I was still sick, after all. Maybe the medicine made me hear things.

But then, I heard it again, right when I was reaching for the vase and was supposed to ignore what I heard a while ago.

My hand paused midair. My body began to tremble.

I was pretty sure I didn’t just imagine it this time.

It was pretty loud to be an imagination.

A moan. A woman’s moan.

I slowly turned my head to the hallway where our room was.

I started walking, then paused.

I stood in front of the door for four seconds. I counted to calm myself.

Then I heard it again.

“Nathan…”

A woman’s voice, moaning my fiancé’s name.

My hand holding the roses tightened while it was trembling.

Anger, surprise, and pain filled my heart.

I composed myself. Then I opened the door.

Nathan looked up first. Whatever was on his face, panic, maybe, or the particular cowardice of a man caught with no lie fast enough to use as an excuse, whatever it was, I didn't have time to read it, because below him, lying in our bed, was Ivy.

My sister.

Not a stranger or a coworker. But Ivy, who was the reason why I endured people calling me a whore just for her to finish her education. 

Ivy, who had cried at my engagement dinner and called Nathan the brother she always wanted to have. 

Ivy, whose birthday was in eight days, for whom I had already bought a gift.

A tear wanted to fall from my eye, but I stopped it. I’d been humiliated my whole life. I’m not going to give them the satisfaction now that I’m affected by what I saw. 

Not when I didn’t even see any hint of regret in my sister’s face.

When Ivy realized it was me who caught them, I saw her smirk.

And that was the most painful thing for me, the biggest betrayal ever.

Nathan was still inside her.

He panicked and immediately pulled away.

Ivy reached for my blanket. Not because she was embarrassed that I had caught them, but because she didn't want me to see her exposed body.

I bet she only wanted Nathan to be the one who saw her like this.

"Lonora..." Nathan started.

I didn't hear the rest. I don't think he said anything worth hearing, honestly.

I zoned out, all those years with Nathan flashing back in my mind. All the hugs, kisses, and "I love yous" we exchanged.

The next thing I knew, Nathan was already in front of me, holding my hand. Our hands were both trembling, but due to different reasons.

He was already wearing his pants.

I pulled my hand away from him.

“Don’t touch me, you’re disgusting,” I emphasized each word.

“Stop overreacting, Lonora,” Ivy said.

The blanket was already wrapped around her body.

I won’t use that blanket again.

“It’s not what you think,” she said, and rolled her eyes.

I chuckled. “You sound like an idiot,” I said.

Her expression turned sour.

“Then, what the h*ll would it be?” I added.

“So what?” she snapped. “Can’t you see? Nathan is unhappy in your relationship.”

She clung to Nathan’s arm.

I looked at Nathan. He didn’t say anything. He was acting like a pure coward who let Ivy speak for him.

“Unhappy?” I asked Nathan. “You didn't look unhappy every time we were together.”

My voice almost broke, but I praised myself when it didn’t.

Ivy pulled Nathan closer to her.

“Don’t try to make excuses, Lonora. Your relationship already has problems, and there’s nothing you can do,” Ivy said.

I sarcastically laughed. They’re unbelievable. She’s unbelievable.

I looked at Nathan one last time while touching the ring on my finger.

But like earlier, he looked like a coward and let Ivy speak for him.

I can’t believe I’m engaged to a coward.

I thought he was the bravest man I ever met when he still chose me despite the rumors everything told him.

I thought he was someone who had his own opinion and could decide on his own.

I took a step closer to the two of them. My face was very serious.

It scared them. They took one step backward.

I stopped in front of Nathan first.

I removed our engagement ring while looking straight into his eyes. Then, I tossed it to him.

He looked shocked and unhappy when he realized it was our engagement ring. He was about to speak.

I raised my left hand to stop him.

I faced my beloved sister.

I looked straight into her eyes. She looked brave, with no hint of remorse. With no hint of her appreciating everything I did for her all these years.

“Yes, our relationship had problems,” I said.

She smirked, happy I agreed with her.

“And that’s you, b*tch,” I added, and slapped her as hard as I could, that she almost lost her balance.

I turned my back and left that room.

My tears began to fall. I held my chest as I walked to the door.

But at least, I didn't scream or break down in front of them. I want that on record. I want them to believe they failed to break me.

But if I’ll be honest, it hurts. It hurts like hell.

I thought I finally found the man I could settle with. But I was wrong.

The two people who I never thought would hurt me made me experience the most devastating pain I could ever feel.

I fully walked out of the apartment that was supposed to be our home and called my mother from the sidewalk because some idiot who promised me forever chose to betray me, and worst of all, with my sister.

Why had I never noticed he was cheating?

I should have known better.

But I would know better now.

I’ll take my revenge.